


Salt

by HellsLittleLiar



Series: Prompts [4]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Nat/Tony friendship!, Temporarily Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-10-04
Packaged: 2018-04-24 18:39:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4930819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellsLittleLiar/pseuds/HellsLittleLiar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha tries to figure out her team mates' love lives and food choices.</p><p>Part 4 of my 100 Prompt Challenge.</p><p>____________</p><p>You can now subscribe to my patreon to see my original works! :)<br/>https://www.patreon.com/hellslittleliar</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salt

Natasha took a slurp of her hot chocolate. She was so ready for this break from all the testosterone in the tower and looking forward to the conversation she was about to start about boys.  
“So,” she began, leaning forwards with a shark-like grin “I’ve been trying to set Steve up on some dates.”  
Tony looked at her in amusement. “Are you kidding me? It’s so obvious that he and Bucky have a thing going on.” She glimpsed a sliver of insecurity in his eyes, before he hid it quickly.  
Natasha leaned back on her seat. Steve and … Bucky? It made sense, she supposed. The only problem with it was that she had been certain that Steve liked Tony - and that the feeling was mutual. 

Since James had come home, their behaviour had not changed. Steve still spent the majority of his time sitting and sketching in Tony’s workshop and Tony liked to watch Steve working out in the gym (not that she didn’t join in whenever she caught him). The only difference was that now James had joined in. He sat with her and Tony watching Steve work out in the gym, sometimes sparring with Steve, himself. He also sat in Tony’s workshop - a lot less unobstructive than Steve, as he enjoyed interrupting Tony’s work to ask questions and help Tony test out new inventions.

Natasha considered this. In general, the relationship between the three of them seemed to be on an equal bases - as though if two of them entered a relationship with each other, the third would also be included. Natasha wondered if the three of them knew this. Natasha wondered if Tony knew this. She studied his face, but his eyes were turned down to his plate of whatever crap this restaurant was serving. Seriously, what was on that plate? She couldn’t tell. She supposed it didn’t matter. Tony appeared downcast, which answered her question. He did not know that if he wished, Bucky and Steve would gladly accept him into their relationship. He probably hadn’t given it a thought - her friend was so self-sacrificing that he likely hadn’t realised there was a way for there to be a happy ending for everyone involved.

“You know they love you too, right?”  
Tony, halfway through attempting to force the food into his throat, choked. He spat the food onto the floor, thankful that they were sitting outside, and came back up coughing and spluttering. His eyes wide with confusion and hope and betrayal.  
“Who told you - never mind.” He realised mid-sentence that she was a spy and had been so for many years now. “What do you mean they love me too? Of course they love me. I’m great! I’m lovable! I’m - I - Nat, what’s the matter with me?” Tony’s face collapsed and he rested his chin on his hand.

“There is nothing wrong with you, Tony.”  
“Then why don’t they want me? I was right there the whole time. But I guess I can’t compete with their eternal love, right? I guess I’m just not good enough for them.” Tony sighed.  
“Oh Kitten, of course you are good enough.” Natasha resolved to talk to (threaten) Steve and Bucky once they got home. They needed to talk to Tony before they broke his fragile heart any further. “They will come to you in their own time.”

She regarded his plate again. “Now the important matter - what the hell is that and why who is trying to poison you now?”  
“I’m about 89.95% certain that it’s just a plate of salt mixed with diseases.”

**Author's Note:**

> Part 4 of my 100 prompt challenge - I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> Please leave me a kudos/bookmark/comment if you liked it. If you didn't, I'm always open to constructive criticism!


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